www.wholelattelove.com: our caffeinated commitment to you

DIY Tefal coffee roaster project - Page 2

Postby randytsuch on Sun Nov 21, 2010 7:41 pm

I used to use this for my roaster PID
http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/Shopping/Catalog/Process_Controls/Temperature_-z-_Process_Controllers/1-z-16_DIN_Size_(SL4848_-z-_PM_-z-_TC_-z-_PC_Series)/SL4848-VR

I picked this one because I found one cheap on ebay, and it has a RS-485 interface. If you have a PC with a serial port, you just need a 232-485 converter, so you can control the PID with a PC. Makes it much easier of you can download different profiles based for different beans, and also to tweak a profile from roast to roast.
This PID had a few drawbacks, the biggest one is that you could only define a time period in minutes.
So, if you wanted to ramp from 100C to 300C, the time period for the ramp has to be in multiples of a minute. There were times when I wanted more granularity then that. Sometimes I could not create the profile I really wanted because of this.

I have converted to an arduino based PID
http://homeroasters.org/php/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=1989
With this, I can define times to the second, if I want. 10 or 15 seconds is good enough though.
This PID requires use of a special thermocouple board though. I would think you could still get the parts over there, but I don't know of anyone outside of the states building one.

Randy
randytsuch
 
Posts: 255
Joined: Aug 11, 2009
Location: Los Angeles

Previous

Return to Home Roasting